Jim Brown wants to be an “asset” for Jimmy Haslam

Posted by Mike Florio on September 23, 2012, 11:07 PM EDT

AP

After a falling out with Browns president Mike Holmgren, Browns legend Jim Brown hopes to get in the good graces of the new regime.

Per the Associated Press, Brown said Sunday that he had a “fantastic” meeting with new owner (pending perfunctory league approval) Jimmy Haslam, and that Brown has discussed once again having a role with the team.

Brown specifically said he’d like to be an “asset” to Haslam. But Holmgren viewed Brown as a liability — and fired him.

One of the biggest problems with the Browns in recent years is that the franchise gave too many former players too much influence over the operation of the team. Though Haslam would benefit from a positive relationship with Browns alumni, Haslam needs to be sure that Brown and any other former players (like Bernie Kosar) who are able to press the buttons of the fan base realize that they ultimately have no say.

Pointless shot at Bernie. If anything he has been a constructive critic who still tends to give the team the benefit of the doubt. It’s not his fault that fans have more faith in him for what he did 25 years ago than anything the franchise has done since then!

What has Bernie Kosar ever done but be used multiple times over the past 14 years as a PR pawn by Al Lerner, Carmen Policy and Randy Lerner for the purposes of image rehabilitation, trust building and to create a mirage of competence? Dude is the only Cleveland alum with the combo of aptitude and desire to even QUALIFY to have a voice within the building yet he’s NEVER been afforded that. The above shot was not only cheap, it was unfounded. Brownies would have been much better off with BK making football decisions over the past 14 years. Are you really prepared to argue he would have done any worse? Seriously?

“One of the biggest problems with the Browns in recent years is that the franchise gave too many former players too much influence over the operation of the team. Though Haslam would benefit from a positive relationship with Browns alumni, Haslam needs to be sure that Brown and any other former players (like Bernie Kosar) who are able to press the buttons of the fan base realize that they ultimately have no say.”

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And that has worked out really well over the last 13+ years in Cleveland.

Maybe it should be the other way around. Bring in players who remember what it was to play with pride, play for a decent team, at least in sense of being in the playoffs, being in Conference Finals et al.

Stability is what the Browns need. Too many GM’s/Presidents/Coaches in the 13+ years since their return.

Seems appropo that they will have an owner whose main means of making cash in his life was owning a business that was always on the fly, as it were..

If Haslam brings in Jim Brown to “advise” him then he might as well sell the team back to Lernar. Browns fans have had enough of Brown’s opinion to last their entire life. He practically ran the team under Lernar and WAS the mouthpiece during that time period since Lerner was too busy to talk to the media.

They should bring back Brady Quinn while they’re at it. Brown was a big fan of him unlike that draft bust Trent Richardson.